![Australia [AUS]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/au.svg "Australia [AUS]"){kind=small}
Wanhao Zhao is a talented Australian poker professional who has become a consistent winner on the international circuit. Based in Canberra, he has successfully transitioned from playing local events in Sydney to competing in major tournaments across Asia and beyond. Zhao is known for his skill in both No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha, earning respect for his ability to win in different formats. With multiple championship rings and six figures in earnings, he has established himself as a rising name in the global poker rankings.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
According to The Hendon Mob, Wanhao Zhao has total live earnings of over $153,000. His most notable achievements include winning two WSOP Circuit rings. Both victories came in November 2024 at the WSOP International Circuit in Sydney, where he won the A$880 Pot Limit Omaha event for $13,280 and the A$450 Pot Limit Omaha Turbo for $8,158.
Zhao has also performed well on several other major tours. His best live cash to date occurred in July 2024 at the APPT Manila 15, where he finished 3rd in the Mini High Roller for $21,536. He is a frequent face at PokerStars events, including deep runs at the Red Dragon Championship in South Korea. He has also found success on the Triton Poker Series, recording a cash in the 2026 Triton One Main Event in Jeju for $12,800. Other notable results include a runner up finish at a USOP High Roller in Vietnam and a final table appearance on the WPT Prime circuit.
Biography & Poker Background
Wanhao Zhao is an Australian national who currently resides in Canberra. He began building his poker resume in early 2024 by playing recurring tournaments at The Star Sydney. His mathematical approach and discipline allowed him to move up in stakes quickly, eventually traveling to poker hotspots like Vietnam, South Korea, and the Philippines.
In a short period, Zhao has shown incredible consistency. While he started with smaller buy in events, he has moved into the high roller scene where he regularly competes against world class players. He is often seen at major series across the APT and various regional tours. His rapid rise in the rankings shows his dedication to the game, and he is currently ranked among the top 1,000 players on the Australia All Time Money List.
Play Style & Strategy
Wanhao Zhao is best known for being a well rounded and aggressive player. Unlike many specialists who only play one game, Zhao has proven he is an expert in both No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha. This versatility gives him a big advantage during long tournament series because he can play almost every event on the schedule.
His strategy is built on patience and exploiting mistakes. In Pot Limit Omaha, he uses a disciplined hand selection process to win big pots, which helped him secure two WSOP Circuit rings in a single month. When playing No Limit Hold’em, he uses his experience from high roller events to navigate through large fields. Zhao is known for staying calm under pressure, a trait that has helped him record cashes in some of the most expensive tournaments in the world.
My relationship with cards started thanks to my father. I was still in elementary school when he first taught me how to play Rummy, and I still remember the long evenings spent playing cards with my family. During the poker boom, I was still underage, but the televised tournaments immediately captured my attention. I became fascinated with the game and started learning different poker formats whenever I had the chance. Later in life, as an adult, I was fortunate enough to spend four years playing poker professionally. During that time, I mainly focused on Heads-Up Sit and Go games, where I found the format that suited me best. Even though my professional career was relatively short, poker remains something I’m grateful to have experienced as a major part of my life. Today, I play mostly as a hobby, while writing has become my main focus. That said, my enthusiasm for writing about poker is just as strong as my passion for playing the game once was.
